Reed relay system

ABSTRACT

A relay system or relay block consists of stacked reed relays each housed in an envelope. Said relays are supported by pairs of spaced parallel relay supports which, in turn, are received by a frame structure having a front panel including printed circuitry means for properly interconnecting the constituent reed relays of the relay system or block, and for connecting the relay system or block with external equipment.

United States Patent [72] inventors PeterKunz [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1965 Zielinski.......................

Niederhochstadt;

2:21;; Barkow, Frankfurt-Nordweststadt, 3,1 70,089 335 52X [21 1 App NO3 416 y 3,445,728 5/1969 Jorgensen et al. ass/152x [22] Filed Jan. 16,1970 Primary ExaminerBernard A. Gilheany [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971Assistant Examiner-Roy N. Envall, Jr. [73] Assignee Telefonbau undNormalzeit GmbH Attorney-Erwin Salzer Frankfurt am Main, Germany [54]REED RELAY SYSTEM ABSTRACT: A relay system or relay block consists ofstacked 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

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run-1n RELAY SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF INVENTION structure for supporting allthe parts of the unit.

Objects of the invention include to provide units of the aforementioneddescription whose assembly and wiring are greatly simplified, and whosecompactness is increased.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION A relay system embodying this invention includes aplurality of electromagnetic reed relays superimposed to form stacks ofreed relays. The s stem further includes pairs of spaced parallel relaysuppo Each of said pairs of relay supports is arranged on opposite sidesof one of said stacks of reed relays and supports the constituent reedrelays of one of said stacks of reed relays. Each of said pairs of relaysupports is further provided with indexing means. The relay systemfurther includes a frame structure for said paris of relay supports.Said frame structure has a front panel with systems of conductorsthereon and saidframe structure further has indexing means cooperatingwith said indexing means on said pair of relay supports for positioningsaid pairs of relay supports relative to said frame structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a single reedswitch having four pairs of cooperating contacts;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic relay including a reedswitch as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the structure of FIG. 3 shown in anotherposition, or as seen from another angle;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a relay support for supporting relaysaccording to FIGS. 3--5 in stacked form;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a relay system, or relay block, includinga plurality of relay supports as shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the front panel of the structure of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The reed switch shown in FIGS. 1and 2 includes four pairs of cooperating reeds 2,3 sealed-in in anenvelope 1. Four terminals 9 project from envelope 1 to the right, andfour tenninals 11 project from envelope 1 to the left.

' The electromagnetic relay shown in FIGS. 3-5, inclusive, includes areed switch as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This relay further includes amagnetic flux-carrying plate 4, and two substantially channel-shapedflux-carrying members 5,6

, arranged at opposite ends of plate 4. As best shown in FIG. 5

the flange portions of members 5,6 are bent 90 into the plane defined byplate 4 and abut against plate 4. The aforementioned flux-carryingmembers 5,6 loop around the ends of the envelope 1 of a reed switch asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The center portion of the reed switch issurrounded by tubular coil support 8 on which the energizing coil orenergizing winding 7 is mounted.

The flange portions of coil support 8 define groovelike recessessupporting conductor bars and 12. The contact terminals 9 of the reedswitch are conductively connected to the right ends of the fourconductor bars 10 as clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus conductor bars10 form extensions of contact terminals 9 located at the left side ofthe relay rather than at the right side thereof. The conductor bars 12form winding terminals for coil or winding 7. Thus all terminals of therelay are situated on the left side thereof, i.e. terminals 10,1 1 and12 are situated at the left side of the relay.

Referring now to FIG. 6, this FIG. shows a pair of parallel spaced relaysupports 13,14 intended to support ten stacked electromagnetic relaysaccording to FIGS. 3-5 FIG. 6 shows a relay arranged at the bottom ofsupports 13,14 and a relay arranged at the top of supports 13,14. Theintervening space intended to accommodate eight additional stacked reedrelays has been left empty for reasons of greater clarity.

Relay supports 13,14 are substantially channel-shaped and provideboxlike receptacle means 15 for receiving opposite sides of the stackedreed relays. The flange portions of channel-shaped supports 13,14 definerelay-receiving recesses, or slots, engaged by the flux-carrying relayplates 4, as clearly shown in FIG. 6. The web portion of the leftchannel-shaped relay support 13 is perforated as indicated at 16. Theperforations 16 are intended for the passage of terminals 10,11,12through the web portion of relay support 13. The upper or end surfacesof relay supports 13,14 are provided with indexing means 25,26 forproperly positioning relay supports 13,14 in a frame structure intendedto receive a plurality of such relay supports with reed relays stackedtherein.

Such a frame structure has been shown in FIG. 7. The frame structure ofFIG. 7 has a front panel 17 including two spaced layers of printedcircuitry. The front panel 17 is further provided with holes orperforations 18 intended for the passage of the tenninals 10,11,12 ofthe above described reed relays.

Plates 21,22 having angular flanges secured to the front panel 17 extendrearwardly from the latter and form the sides of the relay system, orrelay block. The rear of the frame structure for receiving parts 13,14is formed by vertical strips 23,24 spaced in such a fashion that parts13,14 may be inserted into the gaps of the frame structure formedbetween contiguous strips 23,24. When parts 23,24 are inserted intotheir frame structure the indexing means 25 and 26 thereof engagecooperating indexing means 27,28 in plate 21 of the frame structure. Inthe particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7indexing means 25,26 are fonned by projections on parts 13,14 andindexing means 27,28 by cutouts in the top plate 21 aligned with, andconforming to the shape of, projections 25,26.

Reference numerals 29 and 30 have been applied to indicate horizontallocking bars engaging the upper ends and the lower ends of parts 13,14and locking parts 13,14 in position inside the frame structure thereof.

The front panel 17 is provided along its four boundary edges withterminal tabs 33 arranged in the general plane of panel 17, thus makingit possible to connect the relay system, or relay block, convenientlywith other equipment, wherever the latter may be arranged relative tothe relay system, or relay block.

Referring now to FIG. 8 showing a portion of front panel 17, the latteris formed by a pair of superimposed plates 19,20 of a synthetic resinwhich are cemented together at the interface thereof. Plate 19 isprovided on its front surface with a system of conductors extendingsubstantially horizontally. Plate 20 is translucent so that theconductors on the front surface of plate 19 may be perceived throughplate 20. The front surface of plate 20 is provided with a system ofconductors extending substantially vertically. Plate 20 is provided atcertain points thereof with cutouts 20' exposing to view and givingaccess to the conductors or printed circuitry on. the front surface ofplate 19. The perforations 18 in plate 19 intended for the passage ofterminals 10,11,12 to be soldered to the conductors or printed circuitryon the front of plate 19 are situated within the areas of cutouts 20'.

We claim:

1. A relay system including in combination:

s. a plurality of electromagnetic reed relays superimposed to formstacks of reed relays;

b. pairs of spaced-parallel relay supports, each of said pairs of relaysupports being arranged on opposite sides of one of said stacks of reedrelays supporting the constituent relays of said one of said stacks ofreed relays, and each of said pairs of relay supports being providedwith indexing means; and

. a frame structure for said pairs of relay supports, said framestructure having a front panel provided with systems of conductors andsaid frame structure further having indexing means cooperating with saidindexing means on said pairs of relay supports for positioning saidpairs of relay supports relative to said frame structure.

2. A relay system as specified in claim 1 wherein said paris of relaysupports are substantially channel-shaped and form boxlike receptaclemeans receiving opposite sides of stacks of reed relays, wherein theflange portions of said pairs of channel-shaped relay supports definerelay receiving recesses and wherein the web portion of one of each saidpairs of channel-shaped relay supports is perforated to provide passagesfor relay terminals.

3. A relay system as specified in claim 2 wherein said frame structureincludes vertical bars arranged at the side thereof opposite said frontpanel and spaced to allow insertion of pairs of relay supports betweencontiguous vertical bars, and wherein said frame structure furtherincludes horizontal crossbars for locking said pairs of relay supportsinto said frame structure.

4. A relay system as specified in claim 1 wherein said systems ofconductors include a pair of parallel-spaced conductors systemselectrically insulated from each other by an insulating layer arrangedbetween said pair of conductors systems.

5. A relay system as specified in claim 1 wherein said front panel isprovided with connector tabs arranged in the general plane of said frontpanel along the periphery and close tothe edges thereof.

6. A relay system including in combination a. a plurality of stacks ofelectromagnetic reed relays each formed by a plurality of stacked reedrelays, the contact terminals and the winding terminals of theconstituent reed relays of each of said plurality of stacks being allarranged on one side of each of said plurality of stacks;

. a plurality of pairs of spaced-parallel relay supports each arrangedon opposite sides of one of said plurality of stacks of reed relays,each of said plurality of pairs of relay supports supporting theconstituent reed relays of one of said plurality of stacks, one relaysupport of each of said plurality of pairs of relay supports defining aplurality of perforations and said contact terminals and said windingterminals of the constituent reed relays of each of said plurality ofstacks projecting through said plurality of perforations in said onerelay support of each of said plurality of pairs of relay supports, andeach of said plurality of pairs of relay supports being provided withindexing means; and

a frame structure for said plurality of pairs of relay supports, saidframe structure having a multiperforated front panel provided withsystems of conductors for establishing electrical connections includingsaid contact terminals and said winding terminals of each of saidplurality of stacks, and said frame structure further having indexingmeans cooperating with said indexing means on each of said plurality ofpairs of relay supports for positioning each of said plurality of pairsof relay supports relative to said frame structure.

1. A relay system including in combination: a. a plurality ofelectromagnetic reed relays superimposed to form stacks of reed relays;b. pairs of spaced-parallel relay supports, each of said pairs of relaysupports being arranged on opposite sides of one of said stacks of reedrelays supporting the constituent relays of said one of said stacks ofreed relays, and each of said pairs of relay supports being providedwith indexing means; and c. a frame structure for said pairs of relaysupports, said frame structure having a front panel provided withsystems of conductors and said frame structure further having indexingmeans cooperating with said indexing means on said pairs of relaysupports for positioning said pairs of relay supports relative to saidframe structure.
 2. A relay system as specified in claim 1 wherein saidparis of relay supports are substantially channel-shaped and formboxlike receptacle means receiving opposite sides of stacks of reedrelays, wherein the flange portions of said pairs of channel-shapedrelay supports define relay receiving recesses and wherein the webportion of one of each said pairs of channel-shaped relay supports isperforated to provide passages for relay terminals.
 3. A relay system asspecified in claim 2 wherein said frame structure includes vertical barsarranged at the side thereof opposite said front panel and spaced toallow insertion of pairs of relay supports between contiguous verticalbars, and wherein said frame structure further includes horizontalcrossbars for locking said pairs of relay supports into said framestructure.
 4. A relay system as specified in claim 1 wherein saidsystems of conductors include a pair of parallel-spaced conductorssystems electrically insulated from each other by an insulating layerarranged between said pair of conductors systems.
 5. A relay system asspecified in claim 1 wherein said front panel is provided with connectortabs arranged in the general plane of said front panel along theperiphery and close to the edges thereof.
 6. A relay system including incombination a. a plurality of stacks of electromagnetic reed relays eachformed by a plurality of stacked reed relays, the contact terminals andthe winding terminals of the constituent reed relays of each of saidplurality of stacks being all arranged on one side of each of saidplurality of stacks; b. a plurality of pairs of spaced-parallel relaysupports each arranged on opposite sides of one of said plurality ofstacks of reed relays, each of said plurality of pairs of relay supportssupporting the constituent reed relays of one of said plurality ofstacks, one relay support of each of said plurality of pairs of relaysupports defining a plurality of perforations and said contact terminalsand said winding terminals of the constituent reed relays of each ofsaid plurality of stacks projecting through said plurality ofperforations in said one relay support of each of said plurality ofpairs of relay supports, and each of said plurality of pairs of relaysupports being provided with indexing means; and c. a frame structurefor said plurality of pairs of relay supports, Said frame structurehaving a multiperforated front panel provided with systems of conductorsfor establishing electrical connections including said contact terminalsand said winding terminals of each of said plurality of stacks, and saidframe structure further having indexing means cooperating with saidindexing means on each of said plurality of pairs of relay supports forpositioning each of said plurality of pairs of relay supports relativeto said frame structure.